Naila Raji Opeyemi,13-year-old Taekwondo sensation, has expressed her delight at winning the gold medal at the just concluded 2025 U-17 LFLP Taekwondo National Championship held at the French International School, Victoria Islands, Lagos.
Opeyemi showcased exceptional skills and composure to win the gold medal in the 48kg women’s category to clinch the gold medal and she was full of praise for the organisers of the championship which presented her with an opportunity to perform.
The young athlete, who was part of the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) at the last National Sports Festival in Ogun State emerged victorious in a highly competitive final bout last weekend, held on the school’s basketball court.
Her performance solidified her growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s rising stars in martial arts.
Raji, who recently also won gold at the National Sports Festival in Ogun State, described her latest achievement as a moment of personal pride and divine support.
“I feel great and happy to win the gold,” she told Sports247. “It’s a happy moment for me to prove what I can do. Though this wasn’t my first time winning gold, today was tough, but by the grace of God, I won.”
Raji emphasized the role of faith and mental strength in her performance, saying:
“Whenever I’m entering the stage, even when I’m nervous, I put God first. I call on Allah, and God answers my prayers.”
Raji’s back-to-back gold medal victories mark her as a standout talent in Nigeria’s youth taekwondo scene. Her performance in Lagos adds to the momentum building around the LFLP Championship as a breeding ground for the country’s next generation of martial arts champions
